Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: In 1979, the Washington-based Janice Lakers Quintet recorded this fetching demo, beloved for its formal attending to the joy of making music together. With Lakers on vocals, Dick Cady on piano, Mike Edwards on woodwinds, Larry Turner on bass and Fred Taylor on drums, the group delivered two unique covers, each worked into their own signature style. Their take on Seawind's 'He Loves You' strips back the funk, replacing it with a light, effortless glide. Taylor's whisking drums and Turner's steady bassline lay an airy foundation, while Edwards' clarinet and Cady's piano inject bursts of energy mid-song. On the flip, 'Shaker Song' bridges Spyro Gyra's instrumental and Manhattan Transfer's later vocal version; richer in texture, it offered Lakers a chance to explore her vocal range, closing with lively scatting.

Review: Measured Mile, the 7"s label run by Bob Stanley, firms its focus on DJ-friendly 45s that are or were either very rare or previously unavailable in the format. Its run of sharply curated 7"s is replenished with another three-tracker, this time an unusual choice, fencing two classic British sports broadcasting themes, pivoting from midtempo funk to faster breaks. Leading the A are two standouts from Douglas Wood, 'Cranes', known as the punchy, synth-heavy theme from the BDO World Darts Championship - and 'Drag Racer', the atmospheric opener to the BBC's Snooker World Championships coverage, both drawn from the revered Studio G library catalogue. On the flip, John Cameron's 'Sprocket Shuffle' - the lively 1980s ITV Snooker theme - rounds out the package in a flurry of analogue texture and charming nostalgia.

Review: The tenth album from French-Syrian flautist Naissam Jalal brings together some of jazz's most distinctive wind players in an intimate and remarkably cohesive set of duets. On Souffles ('Breaths'), she engages in raw, unhurried dialogue with Emile Parisien, Louis Sclavis, Sylvain Rifflet and others, each piece anchored in mutual listening and the elemental pulse of breath. Rather than showcasing virtuosity, these recordings draw power from restraint. 'Souffle #1' with Archie Shepp is the most meditative, an unspooling conversation between two voices that barely rise above a whisper. On 'Souffle #5', Thomas de Pourquery's sax lifts Jalal's flute into a playful, unsteady dance, while 'Souffle #3' with Yom pulls from deeper tonal reserves, evoking both lament and resolve. Jalal's talent lies in evoking weight from simplicity - not just through technique but through presence. The album foregrounds breath as both material and metaphor: exhalation as expression, resistance, memory. Her unforced phrasing and instinctive sense of space bring a disarming honesty to every track. Though rooted in jazz, this is music beyond genre - personal, embodied and open to the world. It's less about improvisation as freedom and more about the quiet intensity of listening.

Review: Jameszoo aka Mitchel van Dinther returns with a cinematic journey blending jazz and contemporary classical. Written for Dutch ensemble Asko Schonberg, percussion group HIIIT, and Jameszoo's trio, Music for 17 Musicians explores themes from his 2022 work Blind. Central is a self-governing player piano controlled by custom algorithms creating autonomous musical decisions which add a unique, experimental edge. The music reflects van Dinther's fascination with detaching composer identity to invite active, unbiased listening. It is packed with rich orchestration and smart electronic interplay that nods to Steve Reich's classic while pushing onto new frontiers.

Review: British keyboardist, producer and songwriter Matt Johnsonibest known as a longtime core member of Jamiroquaiand no relation to the The The lynchpin isteps out once again under his own name with a second solo album that channels cosmic jazz, 70s funk and a renewed sense of purpose. Built around the symbolic narrative of Greta Thunberg's 2019 solo Atlantic crossing, the new record balances personal reflection with the energy of vintage groove music. With over 20 years' experience as Jamiroquai's co-writer and keyboardistihaving co-produced albums like AutomatoniJohnson now synthesises that foundation into something even more expansive. Aided by guests like Cory Wong, Will Lee and jazz fusion great Jeff Lorber, he crafts instrumentals that are warm, exploratory and fluid, rich with analogue synths and lyrical progressions. His YouTube community of 140,000 keyboard fans will find much to love here, but it's just as inviting for those new to his solo work. This is music that stares into the storm, yet sails through it with colour and clarity.